


We're All The Same In The Dark

by Nerd_venger



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Emotional Baggage, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-11-17 17:11:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18102854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerd_venger/pseuds/Nerd_venger
Summary: Inspired by a prompt, The lights go out and Pepper searched Tony out in the Tower, what does she find.





	We're All The Same In The Dark

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first work here on AO3 I hope you like it.
> 
> So I saw a prompt on Tumblr that sort of caught my eye:“I don’t like the dark.”  
> “Can I hold your hand?” Tony/Pepper
> 
> This is set somewhere between the first avengers and infinity war, after they broke up but before they got back together.

Pepper was sitting on a sofa in the common room living area, high heels kicked off and lounging in her silvery grey business suit, typing up reports on her Starkpad when the lights went out. “Apologies Miss Potts, it appears there has been a slight malfunction with the connection between the arc reactor and the electrical board on the maintenance floor. Maintenance crew are already on their way to amend the issue; however, the majority of functions are still working including the elevator.” Jarvis’ smooth British voice cam lilting out of the hidden speakers.

“Thank You Jarvis, where is Tony?” she asked looking up to the ceiling. As many times as Tony has told her that Jarvis doesn’t live in the ceiling it’s still a natural reaction to look up while addressing him.

There was a noticeable pause before Jarvis answered her inquiry, and when he did, he sounded almost hesitant. “Sir is in his workshop at the moment,” Jarvis advised her. Her brow furrowed. If something goes wrong with Tony’s tech, he is almost certainly the first one on site trying to fix it.

Something isn’t right.

Pepper stands, slips on her shoes and clips out “Elevator please Jarvis down to the lab floor,” there is a soft ding as Jarvis calls the elevator. “Certainly, miss Potts,” replies Jarvis as the doors whoosh open.

The doors close behind her and her stomach flips as the elevator lowers quickly. The doors open to a dimly lit Lab floor. She walks down the hallway headed towards Tony’s Lab, her heels clicking eerily in the sudden quiet. She passes empty labs along the way, Bruce would have left earlier at a normal time in the afternoon and Darcy clearly managed to pry Jane away from her station earlier, judging by the empty Astrophysics lab.

Pepper approaches Tony’s lab, unease coiling in her gut at the quiet. As soundproof as the lab walls are you can usually feel the vibrations of the glass withholding the pumping bass of Tony’s WorkingBossAssMusicPlaylist. The door opens after Pepper scans her palmprint next to the door, and she steps inside cautiously.

“Tony?” she calls her voice echoing strangely in the large lab. She hears a strange huffing and rustling on the other side of Tony’s desk and goes to investigate, turning on the flashlight on her starkphone, the ambient light of New York city coming in through the windows not nearly enough to see clearly.

First, she sees Tony’s converse toes peeping out from under his desk, followed by the fists clenching the dirty ripped jeans he’s wearing, and then his dark hair from his face pressed into his knees.

Pepper is surprised Tony could fit under his desk like this, but more than that she was concerned and immediately got down on her knees to check on him. “Tony? Are you hurt?” she asked looking everywhere for blood. There was the huffing noise she felt before being followed by a sniff. “No,” he muttered, just loud enough for her to hear. “Are you okay?” she asked, her worry mounting. “No,” his voice broke. “What’s wrong?” she asked her voice soft. “It’s stupid,” he grumbled turning his face away from her.

“It can’t be that stupid if it’s upset you this much?” Pepper probed softly, shuffling forward into his space. She turned and sat next to him huddled under the desk. She waited patiently, hoping he would finally open up to her. “m’afraid of the dark,” he mumbled into his knees. “Sorry?” asked Pepper. Tony leaned back, the back of his head thumping the back of the desk and sighed. “I’m afraid of the dark. I have been since I was a kid. Dad always made me feel like shit for it, so I hid the fact that it terrified me, for years. I had almost gotten over it before Afghanistan,” he cut himself off, his jaw clenching angrily.

“And then it came back even worse, and then on top of that was the wormhole,” finished Pepper, clarity washing over her. “I wish you would have told me sooner,” she whispered, “we’re supposed to be a team Tony, not just the Avengers but you and me. How was I supposed to help you if you wouldn’t let me in to see what was wrong?” she asks tears pooling in the corners of her own eyes.

Tony shrugs helplessly. Pepper shakes her head and takes a deep breath. They would deal with this and the repercussions in the morning. For now, “can I hold your hand?” she asks softly holding up hers in invitation, the light from her Starkphone illuminating it. Tony shuffles, his legs straightening out and lifting an arm and lacing his fingers through hers. He pulls her hand to his face and places a soft kiss on the back of her knuckles before brushing them softly with his thumb.

They sit quietly together, Peppers Starkphone flashlight illuminating the little cubby they are secreted into. When the lights finally flicker back on Tony’s heart rate has slowed back down to normal, sitting quietly next to Pepper, feeling her calm presence and smelling the light floral perfume she favors calming him. “Come on,” she says tugging on his hand before beginning to stand.

“Come on where?” he asks following her lead and standing. “Upstairs to bed,” she states leading him out of the lab and down the hall. “Together?” he asks hesitantly. She squeezes his hand and turns to look at him in the elevator. “Together.” The doors slide shut.


End file.
